Norway, Costa Magica

This was our ship. We left later than planned due to a strong wind. All night and the greater part of the next day we sailed. We had plenty of time to explore the Costa Magica and we were able to make the acquantance of the other members of our group. Stavanger was the first stop where we could disembark and walk around for a couple hours.

 I remember the happy times we spent here with the children. We were invited by a Norwegian family whom we met in Rotterdam in the Norwegian church. This was long ago almost 48 years have past now.This family taught us to speak Norwegian.

Back on board we had to suffer "Sloepenrol" or "Lifeboat drill". It was rather funny actually, for my sister took her umbrella with her. I have the feeling that we all enjoyed ourselves immensely.

Oh, and yes my sister and I were the oldest members of the group, which was not always nice, for we were treated like invalids.

Noorwegen,Norway

Trollstigen, Geiranger, Norway

Trollstigen is a part of road 63 in Norway from Åndalsnes to the south.  It is about 20 kms long, and it has 11hair-pin bends. The road was opened on the 31st of July 1936 by King Haakon VII after 8 years of building . Originally it was a narrow road where cars could only pass at a few places.

In  winter the road is closed.and even in spring it is closed n the mornings because of frost.

The waterfalls come from high in the mountains. In summer they are not spectacular but in spring they are enormous and powerful.

ABC Wednesday, W for Waterfalls, Wood Nymph

Vøringfossen (2004)

 

 

 

 

This summer I was in Norway, as I told you in my previous post.

 For Dutch people Norway and other mountainous countries are very attractive . One of the main attractions is a waterfall. There were many of them in Norway.

One of the smaller falls we saw.

Kjosfossen,

There were  "Huldra" at Kjosfossen where  the train between Flåm and Myrdal halted.

 

Flåm

 

 

 When ever we stop here we can hear the strange singing of the huldra. The huldra or woodnymph has a very beautiful face and  body, but at the back she has an ugly cow's tail.

 

Sometimes her back is hollow. She sings to seduce human males. She possesses cows which are either blue or grey. One could get hold of these cows if you threw a piece of steel over them.This way you could also get silver and table cloths.

The waterfall, which is called Kjosfossen, is in spring very impressive and always makes me think of the Holberg suite by Edward Grieg. 

We thank Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC, and we must thank Roger too for the weekly job to find  ten bloggers for each of the ABC Team members  to visit and to read their posts. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words    beginning with W.

ABC Wednesday, V for Viking Law

This last summer I was again in beautiful Norway. I read several books about the Vikings, because they were the guys who sailed all over the northern hemisphere and invaded our countries. There were at the time no human rights treaties and the actions of the Vikings were quite understandable if you read their laws, especially their first law: Be Brave and Aggressive!

I sincerely believe that they were law-abiding people! They were obedient to these rules! I, personally like the fourth law!

 They left their traces  like the jurisdiction in the UK! They also had a judge and jury in court like in Britain and the USA.

Their alphabet however is very complicated. See for your self and try to write a comment with  these letters.

 We thank Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC, and we must thank Roger too for the weekly job to find  ten bloggers for each of the ABC Team members,  to visit and to read their posts. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar . This week we are looking for words    beginning with V. 

ABC Wednesday, U for Undredal in Norway

Undredal

"The charming village of Undredal, which has a population of 80 people and 300 goats, is situated by the Aurlandsfjord.  In the heart of the village is Scandinavia’s smallest stave church, built in 1147."

Undredal is well-known for its cheese production,especially for its white and brown goat cheese.  www.visitundredal.no.

While we were sailing in the Aurlandsfjord we saw this village from a distance and I took some photos to remember this delightful place in its peaceful surroundings.

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt,  who created ABC, and Roger, who took over from her. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with U.

 

ABC Wednesday, S, Scandinavia,Sod roof .

The first time I visited Norway I saw these remarkable houses covered by grass roofs. I was fascinated by the look of them. A long time before, I had met a Norwegian young man in one of the workcamps, where we worked during the holidays as volunteers. He told me a lot about Norway and also about the grass roofs. He said that some farmers put their goats on top of the roofs to keep the grass short and to prevent trees from growing on the houses.

Maihaugen in Lillehammer

Valdres Folkemuseum

Valdres Folkemuseum

"A sod roof or turf roof is a traditional Scandinavian type of green roof covered with sod on top of several layers of birch bark on gently sloping wooden roof boards. Until the late 19th century, it was the most common roof on rural log houses in large parts of Scandinavia.

 The load of approximately 250 kg per m² of a sod roof is an advantage because it helps to compress the logs and makes the walls more draught-proof. In winter the total load may well increase to 400 or 500 kg per m² because of snow.

 The birch bark underneath ensures that the roof will be waterproof.

The term ‘sod roof’ is somewhat misleading, as the active, water-tight element of the roof is birch bark. The main purpose of the sod is to hold the birch bark in place. "( Wikipedia)

.A sod roof has a lot of advantages: Firstly it is cheap, for the materials used for it, like birch bark and grass turf, are available in abundance.
Secondly: It's an ideal way of insulation in the cold and long Scandinavian winters.

But it requires a lot of time! No problem, for neighbours and friends are invited to join in a roofing party

History

Sod roofs on farmhouses in Gudbrandsdal, Norway. Photo: Roede.

This practice of covering roofs with birch bark and grass sods in Scandinavia, dates back to prehistory. The Vikings and People from the Middle Ages built their houses this way.This lasted until the beginning of the 18th century. Gradually houses in towns were built with tiled roofs and sod roofs almost disappeared, This was considered to be a threat  to ancient traditions. This caused a general revival of vernacular traditions, including these sod roofs.

Maihaugen

Mountain lodges and holiday homes with sod roofs became very popular. Open air museums like Maihaugen in Lillehammer, and reservations all over Norway, contributed to a better knowledge of the ancient culture of Norway and the rest of Scandinavia.

Røros, old mining town

Røros, old mining town.

 Isn't it wonderful to have flowers on your house?

From these reservations, sod roofs have begun to reappear as an alternative to modern materials. The more recent idea of the green roof is developed independently from the traditional sod roof, but could benefit from the experience gathered during hundreds of years in Scandinavia.

Birch bark

Doukhobor house in Yefremovka, Georgia, with a sod roof.

Birch bark is important for a sod roof, for it is strong, water-resistant and soil-resistant enough to last for generations, although 30 years was considered the normal lifespan of a sod roof in most places. Birch is common everywhere in Northern Europe, and its bark is easily stripped from the trunk in spring or early summer, while the sap is running.

"Bark has to be weighted down with a heavier material to prevent it  from curling or blowing away. Therefore sod is used and this  has an additional advantage because it is an insulator.

 The first layer of sod was traditionally placed with the grass down, as the wilted grass would protect the bark from acid humus and act as a drain. The grass of the second layer faced upwards to establish a solid surface. Grass roots would eventually permeate the bottom layer to create one solid structure. The finished roof would in time look just like a flower-studded meadow. "( Wikipedia)

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt,  who created ABC, and Roger, who took over from her. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with  S.